Hindu Deity destroyers punished

Minneapolis:  A year ago, two young men took baseball bats to Deities at a Hindu temple in Maple Grove. And the Hindus keep seeking goodness in the ugliness. Again last week, leaders of the temple praised a Hennepin County Court judge who showed impatience, but mercy, for one of the individuals responsible for the mindless act. On Wednesday, Paul Spakousky, who was involved in the desecration of sacred statues, again was standing before Judge Kevin Burke, because he had violated terms of his probation. He had been caught drinking alcohol as a minor, then lied about going to treatment. Burke told Spakousky that he was thinking about simply sending him to jail for 30 days. But in the end, Burke informed Spakousky that he would be sentenced to 30 days’ work release, meaning he’ll spend his nights in jail but be allowed to continue working by day, with his earnings turned over to the temple.

Temple leaders applauded the judg e’s act. "Our hope is that this negative will help these two become better young men," said Shashikant Sane, chairman of the temple’s board of trustees. "In jail, surrounded by only hardened people, the learning may be more difficult." From the beginning, it has been hard to figure these Hindus. No screams for revenge. Instead, they’ve consistently asked the courts to show mercy. They’ve talked about the potential for good in all of us. Where’s the we’re-mad-as-hell satisfaction in that? Understand, the crime these two committed was no small thing. They did $200,000 in damage to a temple that was in the final stages of construction. The Deities that were destroyed held great meaning. "When sculptures are sanctified, they are part of our family," said Sane. "It was emotionally painful to see them destroyed." So why not hurt the people that caused the hurt? "The most important thing is these men are working shoulder to shoulder with the people they hurt," said Sane. "Revenge is no good." What has been good, Sane believes, is the original sentence. It combined accountability and compassion.

Spakousky and Tyler Tuomie, both 20, were sentenced in August to serve 30 days in jail, pay $96,000 in restitution and do community service work at the temple. In doing the menial chores each Saturday and Sunday at the temple, they’ve come to know the people who worship there. Sane said he has even occasionally sat down to have lunch with the two young men. "We just talk," he said. "We don’t talk about the mistake. There’s no need to do that." Tuomie has met the conditions of his sentence. Spakousky has stumbled. The Hindus are cheering for both and giving up on neither. "These are young people who, when they grow up, will remember the things that have happened along the way," said Sane. "In time, they will pass on what they have learned to others and that is the start of a chain reaction of good things."

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